Ladle



J. H. GRAY.

LADLE.

APPLICATION F ILED NOV.15, 1918.

1,386,?Q2 a Patented Aug; 9, 11921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

0 IN l/E IV TOR James b. Gray AM M, ATTORNEY J. H. GRAY.

LADLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, I918.

Paten Aug. 9, 19211.,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- James Hfiray JAMES H. GRAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LADLE.

essence.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. GRAY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Ladles, of which the following isa specification.

- The vinventionrelates to ladles for molten metal such as are commonlyused in steel plants for transferring the molten steel from one point toanother or from a furnace to the ingot molds and for pouringthe steelinto such molds. It is common practice to use ladles of different sizes,some containing as much as one hundred tons ofsteel. They are usuallyprovided with a nozzle in the bottom through which the steel flows and astopper'which may be raised and lowered from the outside to cut off orpermit the flow of steel. Trouble is frequently experienced with suchnozzles and stoppers.

The latter sometimes leakso that steel is spilled and wasted; or thestopper freezes to thenozzle making it difficultor impossible to open.It is good practice tohold the steel-in the ladle for a certain-lengthof time-to reduce it to a proper casting temperature andifor otherpurposes; but in thus-holding the ladle the heat of the steel mayburnoff the stopper rod, thus causing trouble and loss of steel and possibleinjury tothe men. To avoid these disadvantages and to facilitate theholding of the steel in the: ladle as long as may be desired I provide aladle in which the nozzle (and the stopper and stopper rod where theseare used) is outof contact with the steel. When the steel is to bepoured it is only necessary to change the position of the ladle, whichwill bring the steel above the nozzle and permit-pouring inthe usualway.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention.

Figure l is a vertical section of a ladle in pouring position;

Fig. 2 is a plan of such a ladle in upright position, that is in theposition in which it.

is used to transfer metal;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a different form of the ladle, inpouringposition;

Fig l is a vertical section of a third desi n of the ladle, in uprightposition.

11 each of the constructions illustrated the nozzle is located at oneside and at a point above the metal when the ladle is standing uprightand is filled to the usual Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 11921.

Application filed November 15,1918. Serial No. 262,667.

level; that is, when it is carrying its intended or desired quantity ofmetal. A cover or wall is arrangedbeyond the nozzle so as to form vapocket for the metal above the nozzle when the ladle is tilted.

Referring first to Fig. 1 the body A of the ladle is similar in designto ladles now commonly used, having trunnions B which are engaged byhooks when it is to be lifted and which may rest on pillars 0 when themetal is to be poured, and having an eye D on the bottom adapted to beengaged by a hook E for tilting it. This body portion of the ladlepreferably stopper inits bottom but these may be pro 'vided forsupplementary use if desired. On the upper end of the body of the ladleis mounted a pocket F constituting an extension of a portion ofthe'approximately cy lindrical wall of the ladle and shaped to form acover which in the upright position extends transversely across a partof the mouth of the ladle and beyond a nozzle G "Which is formed in theextended side of the its upper end :from an arm J which extends.

down through a bracket K of usual design on the outer face of the pocketand which is manipulated by a hand lever L. The sup porting blocks C forthe ladle are so positioned that the nozzle G will be brought directlyover a line of ingot molds M carried on cars which are run under thenozzle so as to bring the successive molds into casting position. Eachmold is filled by lifting the stopper, and then the stopper is closedand the next mold is brought into casting position.

here the entire ladle full of metal is to be poured at each operation astopper may be dispensed with since the nozzle is normally above thelevel of the metal in the ladle. Such a construction is shown in'Fig. 3for a ladle which transfers metal to a furnace N, pouring directly intoa trough O ladle than in the construction of Fig 1. v

The ladle of Fig. 4 is provided with a his obliquely from the side ofthe bodyorlmain portion A of the ladle, thus leaving a greater clearopening for pouring metal into the pocket F analogous to that of Fig. 3in having its'bottom P inclined outvvard With operation of pouringcan beresumed or stopped ithout'having to'tilt theladle for; 7

Ward and back .asin Fig. 3.1

In all these designs the. stopper rod andthe nozzle are outof the steelWhile'the ladle isfilled and is beingtransportedor is beingheld toperfect the steel; When this is done the ladle-is tilted to transfer thesteel to a point above thenozzle and itremains there only durlng thetime requiredforcast ng.

.- --;The stopper rod may be made -much shorter than usual, less thanone-half in the design-shown in Fig. 1, Fora hundred ton;

ladle the common practicezis to use a stop;

per rod-jtwelve, feet-long; Whereas in my de'- sign 1t may beonlyzfivefeet long. Aflonger i stoppeluis harderlto lhand-le'and to set'in V"than a shorter stopper.

proper position for closing and to maintain in such position, and tendsto Warp more With my construction if it t found that ii the stopperleakswin turning theladle'over the latter may be turned back 'toavertical designsshO Wntherhead "of metal above the at anfobjectionablerapid rate; It Will be,

position and: the nozzle readjusted 'In the nozzle in pouring: positionis less than in the upright position; This is an advantage especially'in large ladles Where theferro-static pressure has been so great thatthe metal splashesigreatlyinthe mold and pours out understood, however,that theproportions may vary from those illustrated. in the design ofFig. 1v the ferro-static pressure is about one-halfthatof an ordinary ldl f thesame capa it p a V V e a The pocket may ladle, as inlligs. 3 and4,-o'r it maybe detachably mounted thereon, as in Fig. 1,

Where the shells of the ladle proper and the pocket are shownprovided.with flanges Q fastened together at intervals by bolts B.

This construction may be used for conve'rt-' ing old ladles into the newtype by merelyadding the necessary 'fla nge' around. a po'rv tion of:its lip, closing the old nozzle permanently or leaving it and'thestopperin as circumstancesimay demand.

It is important to prevent thepouringout i of the slag which floats ontop of the metal,

' 1 Though I have V tioul'a'rity' of detail certain embodiments oflaims;

especially when transferring from one furnace to another. QWhere nostopper is used, as "in Fig; 3, the metal is caused to flow quickly overthe nozzle by sufiiciently tilting the ladle, thusraising the slag Sabove the nozzle; When the steel, T is all out ofthe ladle and the slagbegins to flo-vv the ladle is quickly dropped back to an upright posi-,tion, so as to retain'the slag, With astopper, as in Fig-4; the nozzleis "opened'and. the steel allowed to i'lowiuntilthe slag an riv'esat thenozzle, whereupon it is closed by the stopper."

described vvith' great pal-i my invention yet it is not to be understoodtherefrom that the invention is restrictedt'o v the embodimentsdisclosed. Various fications thereof indet'ailand in the arrangement o'fthe parts may be'madel'bylthoseg skilled inthe art Without departure"from the invention as defined the following What-I claim is- I i 5ll-"A ladletor moltenmetalhaving a nozf zle in an upward extension atoneside at a. point abovethe usual level of the metal When the ladleis-upright and-having a, overns wall beyond-"said nozzle forming apocketforthe metal; when the ladleis tilted and a stopper for saidjnozzl'e'iextending trans ladle is-thusftilted. I v "-2. k ladlefor'molteii metal having tachable pocket-section bolted to its uppernozzle for pouring the metal in this position,

:x 'ersely'1 across the ladle and supported in V 'verticahp'osition' bysaid: cover "when the V end adapted'to-receive -the'inetalf from theladle when the latter is tilted and'h'aving a A ladle comprising'ametallic shell hav'- ing an inner lining of refractorymaterial,

an oute rim secured'to the uppenedge of said shell and a detachablepouringsection having metallic shellsecure d to said rim tion'beingadapted, to receivethe molten metal when thefladleisfltiltedftopouringbe a vfixed part ofthe;

said section being above the usual metal-level; and having a Wall'Whichove'rha'n'gs approxiinately' 'one halfof "the top of" the ladlevWhen it is upright, saidsection being adaptedflto receive the metalwhen the ladle is tiltedr In witness'ivhereof I have hereunto signed myname." i

*J MEs rain]- Which is provided with a stoppered nozzle,

105 and lin'e'dwithrefractorymateriah'said sec- 7

